From pyramids to hieroglyphics, it is no surprise that ancient Egypt is known for its strange, unique, and specific rituals that tie into their spirituality. Many of these rituals are precise and well thought out, in order to fit into their beliefs. One of the more important activities of the Egyptians was mummification. When the word is mentioned, frightening bodies wrapped in white strips of cloth is usually the first image that comes to mind. But why did the Egyptians take the time to prepare the deceased in this way, as well as make their tombs as glamorous as they did?
Many of us were taught about the Egyptians and their culture in primary school, but these lessons were fairly superficial in terms of the beliefs and reasoning behind their rituals. The ancient Egyptians had many views on death and the afterlife, all of which they took very seriously. According to them, humans all possess two souls or “doubles”; the “ka” and the “ba.”1 Both of these “doubles” were widely celebrated at an individual’s death. However the “ka” was the spirit that was more accommodated to in the tomb because it was understood that they needed to be nurtured in order for the deceased to be accepted into heaven, as well as for the prosperity of the people.2
The “ka” was said to be the spirit most associated with the identity of the deceased. A person would have no interaction with his or her “ka” until that individual had passed. Therefore, generally everything that was done to and for the body was also done for the “ka.”3 One of the reasons the preservation of the body (mummification) was performed was so the spirit would not be alone in the tombs.4 It was believed that the “ka” could bring the body back to life. People of the community would fill the tomb with items that they believed would please the spirit.5 Usually, these items included food, wine, and incense. The physical body was cleansed, dried, and wrapped to preserve the body and prevent the “ka” from a lack of nourishment.
Although it is interesting to learn the process of mummification and how it preserves the body, it is equally as satisfying to learn about the reasoning behind it. The Egyptians had many gods and spirits that contributed to their way of life, and the “ka” is no exception. It serves a basis for a good part of the mummification process, and gives more of an understanding as to why this process is necessary. 6
- E. A. Wallis Budge, Egyptian Religion (Routledge Revivals) : Egyptian Ideas of The Future Life (London: Routledge, 2013), 34. ↵
- John H. Taylor, Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001), 19. ↵
- Budge, Egyptian Religion, 49. ↵
- Diana Craig Patch, Reflections of Greatness : Ancient Egypt at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pa.: The Museum, 1990), 79. ↵
- Patch, Reflections of Greatness : Ancient Egypt at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 80. ↵
- Taylor, Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, 16-17. ↵
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Egyptian mummification
Egyptian religious beliefs
Recent Comments
John
Interesting article but most of the sentences and paragraphs were very clunky. Could have been more concise and poignant.
19/10/2016
1:13 pm
Andres Palacios
Excellent article overall, I found really interesting the functions of the two souls. Usually in HS we didn’t talk about it much so it was nice to know more in depth about the process and meaning of the mummifications.
19/10/2016
1:13 pm
Melissa
Good, informative article!
20/10/2016
1:13 pm
Jezel Luna
Reading this article, it really gave me a real understanding of the topic of mummies. The fact that their soul needed to be nurtured in order for them to be accepted into heaven was an interesting fact. Another thing I find very fascinating was the idea of two souls in our body. The fact that Egyptians concluded they would have an interaction with their “Ka” but only when they passed away, was very distinctive. Great informative article!
21/10/2016
1:13 pm
Oscar Sepulveda
This is very informative. I have always been fascinated with Mummies from the movie “The Mummy”. That shows a bit but, does not give the full information like this. I do like this because it gave me a full understanding.
24/10/2016
1:13 pm
Mehmet Samuk
Good article !! Concise and very informative. I remember watching a documentary about the mummy process in Egypt that they used advanced medical technology to take out the organs and how they valued the next eternal life for them. You illustrated the importance of the mummies for Egyptian society very well. Good Job !!
27/10/2016
1:13 pm
Rafael Ortiz Salas
Very good article. I didn’t know why mummification was important to the Egyptians and I had no idea that the Egyptians believed in two souls. I really learned a lot from your article, it was very informative and very easy to follow. Good job. 🙂
01/12/2016
1:13 pm
Maalik Stansbury
The long process of just getting to heaven sounds like a lot of work but highly interesting. I really like egyptian related topics. You did a great job with supplying the information and creating an amazing article I wish there were more topics like this out there. Great job being explanatory as well.
06/12/2016
1:13 pm
Christian Lozano
Much like some Native American traditions, there is a seemingly primordial view and understanding of treating the dead in order for them to be able to live a certain way in the afterlife. Very well organized and written, keep it up.
07/12/2016
1:13 pm
Kimberly Rios
Interesting article! My knowledge on mummification before reading this article was very limited, but I have always been interested in learning more. Thanks to your article I now have knowledge on their belief on the two different type of souls. It was very intriguing to read about what the Egyptian people would do to preserve this “ka” soul. Although it was a informative article I wish you would mention the second believed soul, the “ba”, more throughout the article. Keep up the great work!
19/10/2016
1:13 pm